Haddock en Papillote

With Pete McGahey and David Gauvin

En Papillote is a popular French method of cooking in which the fish or other ingredient is put into a pouch, or parcel, sealed and then baked in an oven. (If you use aluminum foil you can cook it on the grill.) The traditional “papillote,” meaning parchment in French, is typically made from parchment paper. In this cooking method the water, wine or stock in the bag steams the food. Cooking en papillote is considered healthy and flavorful depending on the ingredients you put into the bag. Typically many people use some aromatic herbs, a small amount of wine and a smaller amount of oil or butter. In this version the chefs at Addison Gilbert and Beverly Hospitals sauté a medley of leeks, fennel and carrot in a chicken broth and soy sauce mixture, sprinkle with chives and lemon juice, and then add that with the fish in the parchment bag before placing into the oven. The delicate flavor of chives works well with fish. This is an excellent dish for entertaining; you can prepare it in advance, store it in the refrigerator, and then pop it in the oven. If you like, you can substitute fillets of salmon, bass, striped bass or mullet for the haddock. 
In case you are entertaining single papillotes can be made ahead of time and cooked at the last minute. It is recommended that you do this if you are making them for three or more people. You can serve them unopened, letting each of your guests inhale the steam and aroma escaping as the papillote bag is opened.

Ingredients

6 - 6 ounce fillets of Haddock 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Cooking spray 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 3 large) 2 1/2 cups fennel bulb (about 2 small bulbs) 2 1/2 cups (2-inch) julienne-cut carrot 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, divided 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. 3. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add leek, fennel, and carrot; sauté 4 minutes or until carrot is crisp-tender. Add broth and soy sauce; cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in 3 tablespoons chives and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. 4. Cut 6 (14-inch) squares of parchment paper. Fold each square in half; open each. Place 1 cup vegetable mixture near fold of each paper. Place 1 fish fillet on top of vegetable mixture; top with ½ teaspoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. Fold paper; seal edges with narrow folds. Place packets on each of 2 baking sheets. 5. Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned, rotating baking sheets after 9 minutes. Place on plates, and cut open. Serve immediately. Nutrition Facts (per fillet): 238 calories; 4.5 grams of Fat; 2 grams of Sat Fat; 5 grams of Carbohydrate; 4.5 grams of Fiber; 32 grams of Protein; 666 mg of Sodium
Recipe courtesy of Chefs Pete McGahey and David Gauvin, Unidine, Beverly Hospital and Adam Gilbert Hospital, 2011.

Chef David Gauvin has 16 years of culinary experience. He studied and trained at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. Chef Gauvin honed his skills in healthcare dining services during a 5-year tenure with Massachusetts General Hospital.

He serves as a board member of the oldest chef's organization in the country - the Epicurean Club of Boston, which is the local chapter of the American Culinary Federation. He is committed to staying current on local trends by competing in cooking competitions and attending educational conferences.  Chef Gavin also serves as a professor at the Cambridge School of Arts. Pete McGahey is the Executive Chef at Beverly Hospital. He has 20 years experience in the culinary field, focusing primarily in seafood. He has been a resident of Beverly for 3 years.  He is an active member of the Saugus/Everett Elks and the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, an organization promoting sustainable fishing off of the coasts of New England and Canada.  He and his wife are expecting their first child.